Reviving Vintage Firepower: Tightening a Loose 1911 Slide

[@nobodytraining]

I forgot to mention the slide pusher in the video. I bought mine earlier this year off of eBay. I did a quick scan again for this video and I can’t find anyone who has one. If anyone knows where others can pick one of these please leave a comment!

[@michaell397]

Brownell's gunsmithing supplies. KnifeMaker

[@rodgerbooth1064]

Just buy a new Colt if you want a RATTLER!!!

[@rodgerbooth1064]

I'll keep your post in mind, thanks for sharing!

[@ridenfish39]

This channel deserves more followers. Great video.

[@nobodytraining]

I wouldn’t complain about more minions…I mean followers 🤣 Thank you so much for watching!

[@Master...deBater]

Thanks for the video. I did the same job to my Springfield Armory A1. Luckily I didn't have any side to side play...just up and down. I ended up using a 3/4" mild steel rod as a punch and a regular sized hammer...just massaging it back and forth along the front and back of the rails until the rattle was gone. No lapping, no extra tools, just lots of fit checks and patients! Like you I couldn't stand the rattle...but wanted to keep the reliability. If I was going to do a bunch of them I'd buy all the gear...but I just couldn't justify spending a couple hundred bucks to fix one $600 dollar gun. And watching Mark Novak do it like he was walking in the park gave me all the confidence I needed...despite his warnings not to "...try this at home"!

[@PatriotPaulUSA]

Very well Shown! Great video! I have been wanting to see how others have used those tools from power custom and you did a great job imho.

[@nobodytraining]

Thank you! The hardest part about using them is just developing the ‘feel’ that’s required to use them. And they have, so far, been used on 1911, 2011, glock and in a week, a Girsan Beretta clone.

[@madewithscraps]

Great Video! I too, have owned and operated multiple Norinco arms products. My experiences are they are all loose and sloppy fitting, supposedly by their choice for reliable function when submerged in muds and other contaminates, where many of our units are machined too tight for compensation of powder contaminates. I am a life long machine shop owner, so not too allergic for learning and trying different modes of repair of all objects. For 1911 slide clearances, I have successfully used Baked on, cured Cera-Koting. I find that each coat applied adds .001" in thickness. Three coats would be max, equaling .003". although considering .003" per side would be doubled in dimensions at the end. Old timers used to practice the "Knurling" method, but this was temporary and reduced contact of the total areas by 50%. Thanks for your time and experiences.

[@five-oonsene545]

Outstanding content, as usual.

[@nobodytraining]

Much appreciated!

[@matthewsalyersjr4965]

I built a 1911 from new parts, took some time because each part had to be hand fit, sanded, polished, filed and more, took a couple weeks but it’s the best handgun I own!

[@jerrychambers7267]

Did you build it without a lathe ?

[@jerrychambers7267]

Where did you buy the components, I’m itching pretty bad to build one I would like to build me a commander size.

[@jimmysalgado5237]

You are the man! I just love all your content. I just watch all your videos rewatch it rewatch it until I’m confident enough to work on 1911 Garrison I bought all the necessary tools and I’m excited to start my new hobby

[@nobodytraining]

I appreciate that, Jimmy! I hope you have as much fun as I do learning and perfecting your 1911. Let me know how she turns out 😎

[@danqodusk8140]

I'll give it to you, video is quite informative!

[@loupuleff571]

After watching this I ordered one and tightened up my Kimber slide it worked great but you need a real good strong vise I also fit a new bushing but realized the barrel hood has too much slop so I ordered a new gunsmith fit barrel.

[@nobodytraining]

Very nice and I second the strong vice. When you get your new barrel, order a new bushing from EGW. They have a service that for $5 extra bucks, you tell them the diameter of the barrel and they will cut the inner diameter of the bushing to match. Worth every penny!

[@loupuleff571]

@@nobodytraining I have one I’m actually fitting my barrel now.

[@richardwilliams9815]

Fantastic video. I would love to try this on my 9mm 1911.

[@terrydawson2239]

I've seen spacers that you can put under the frame rails to better control the closure.

[@nobodytraining]

I’ve started to collect them. But this shows that it can be done without…if you enjoy the struggle like I do 🤣 Thanks for watching!

[@alanex5225]

Good informative video. A frame would cost more than the tools to work on them so the tools would be worth it. Also, you can fix other guns with them, not just one. Good job here.

[@jerrychambers7267]

Great job on your video.

[@rodgerbooth1064]

Look at Wilson''s Extractor It is CNC Machined with the tension curve instead of bent!!

[@mbenjamin292]

This channel is fantastic wow I can't believe you don't have atleast 💯 thousand followers.there loss thank you please keep the tape rolling.

[@nobodytraining]

Much appreciated! I THINK the algorithm doesn’t like me since I show a lot of how too. But in the grand scheme of things, as long as someone gets some benefit that’s all that really matters. I appreciate you watching!

[@ct2368]

Great video.

[@ohhgourami]

Cool content. I'm about to buy myself a micro TIG welder so I can add material to factory barrels to tighten up the lock up. I just built my first 2011 with a nice tight barrel lock up and the results were eye opening. The recoil is soo much lighter than my factory guns. Being able to add material back to the barrel would be a game changer.

[@nobodytraining]

Tig is something I want to learn…it’s in the massive pile of things I need to get around to! So I’m a little jealous right now. My mind is going into overdrive with questions since I haven’t looked into this at all so hopefully you can be patient with me. Weld locations: hood and slide makes sense to me. Are you looking at the muzzle end as well? Other? Bushing or bushingless? Adding to the bushing seems logical. Muzzle end I’m on the fence. Not sure what that does to the integrity I like to learn, even if I never get into it I like to know possibilities

[@ohhgourami]

@@nobodytraining No welding experience but it looks simple enough to do. This is a jewelry welder btw, not the full size machines. Not doing the muzzle end for bushing guns as I don't have a lathe to recut for concentrically. Rather buy a custom bushing from EGW then lap the remaining thou. I'm trying to work within my limitations of no lathe or mill. If I'm correct, simply adding to the hood, lower lugs, and maybe upper lugs will give a hard fit. For example, I run 18.5lb variable spring on my 45acp guns but only need a 12-13lb variable spring for this hand built gun with a hard fit barrel.

[@nobodytraining]

Will a jewelers tig melt a high carbon steel wire? I image that’s what you’d want to use.

[@nobodytraining]

So naturally my brain is going into overdrive on how this could potentially be done simply. Instead of using wire, you could use a feeler gauge that is bigger than you need. Tig that into place and file to fit. No matter what you do, keep me posted on how it goes!

[@ohhgourami]

@@nobodytraining From what I can tell, yes. I would need to arc it many times ideally using the same type of steel as the base material. I actually had my eyes set on a laser welder but that cost way too much for me. If this experiment works well enough, maybe a lathe in the future.

[@jerrychambers7267]

I have one of these and honestly it shoot pretty good 25yrds in

[@peghead]

Like Mark Novak says; "you're a 20 MOA shooter, shooting a 4 MOA pistol".

[@nobodytraining]

If I’m doing the math right that puts me at 80 MOA 🤔🤣 Should be accurate enough lol. I do like Mark. I’d be happy if I knew a 1/10th of what he knows

[@madewithscraps]

Interesting video and tooling. The challenge will be to see how long this tightening, by bending lasts. Metal has a memory, and returns to it's original state when relaxed. Also the bend without relieving the metal is questionable. Peening the slide rails is only making the top edge tighter, not the entire area. The older "knurling" topic was a temporary fix, for that reduced the contact areas by 50%, leaving the slide to ride on the raised knurling. My question would be; did the tooling cost more than a purchase of a new slide or frame? As stated; you gotta do what you gotta do.

[@alpalmieri8644]

You need the Brownells slide fitting rails.I bet you gaulled the frame rails.

[@joey-m6q]

Those vises look like stuff I saw in your dad's shop years ago...

[@nobodytraining]

That’s because they are. The grey one I rebuilt and crinkle painted. Trying to decided if I want to do the same to the swivel

[@lightspeed2121]

You have to cold forge the vertical play out and forge inward to get desired horizontal play , you need spacers I get less than 1000 th end game

[@lightspeed2121]

Where is your spacers

[@arturk2021]

Hi Good quality in 2024 9mm version ?? Good metal ?? Regards Artur Poland

[@nobodytraining]

Hi Artur- unfortunately we have not been able to get Norinco’s in the US for almost 30yrs. So I can’t tell you the quality. However, if you are looking for inexpensive but good quality, Tisas is worth a look. Hope that helps!

[@abeldiaz488]

Hello, was the first gun at the beginning of the video a Colt or another Norinco?

[@nobodytraining]

The rattle one in the intro is what I am working on during this series. It is a Norinco. I then show another Norinco that is unfired in the retro unboxing. But I do not do any work on that one.

[@rodgerbooth1064]

My new Colt Gold Cup National Match in 9mm rattles like that!! Guess Colt is making them in China now!! Junk!!

[@nobodytraining]

To really see how bad it is, stick a feeler gauge between the frame and slide. Mine was so bad I could use it as a dog door. I bet you could tighten it and have it glorious with a little effort.

[@rodgerbooth1064]

@@nobodytraining This is BAD!!! It is so bad that the hammer has made marks in the finish on the back of the slide where it hits during the cycle!! It will not group and shoots low left! Also you have to depress the magazine release to insert a magazine, you cannot just push it in!! Definitely Junk!! Very disappointing, definitely a dad decision in purchasing one!!! WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME!!!

[@nobodytraining]

@rodgerbooth1064 That’s unfortunate. What’s your plan with it? Going to send it back to Colt for warranty or are you going to try and fix it yourself?

[@rodgerbooth1064]

@@nobodytraining I'll try out first but do not expect any results! They will probably say it is in spec. I have Springfields, Wilsons and Kimbers. All of them are perfect! Have a 50 year old Gold Cup in 45 and it is perfect and and very accurate!! The new Colts are mass produced and no quality at all! Better off spending the extra money on a better maker like Springfield and or Wilson. Although, Wilson will no longer work on other peoples Guns!!

[@tubeonline629]

If you have the slide fitting bars, you can just use a hammer. My biggest concern is the cheap metal that China often uses to copy our products will wear alot faster and I don't know if it will hold up to much bending without causing micro cracks.

[@nobodytraining]

I unfortunately did not have the fitting bars at the time. I’ve been trying to pic up one or two from Brownells when I order something. As for the steel quality, from the research I’ve done, although limited, the steel used at the time was pretty good. Bill Wilson, from what I’ve read, used some Norincos as the basis of some of his earlier guns. How true and how many I don’t know

[@karatekid6026]

Norinco at one time were actually made from old railroad ties. And they were hella forged. I guess they made the parts from ties as well. I want one just for the nostalgia myself. Apparently they were not horrible guns.

[@andyd2960]

My god this is horrifying. I'm waiting for the frame to crack and shatter into pieces.

[@luciusmirkwood1634]

Story has it that these norinco 1911s were made with railroad steel

[@Cruiser777]

They run better when they're loose😅

[@glocksp80smd]

Acc u rail is a thing as well

[@nobodytraining]

That is an option for sure. Thank you for bringing that up!

[@glocksp80smd]

@nobodytraining n.p buddy. Heard alot of good about them a guy here Doug does them and when they lose up witch in most people's life won't but competition shooters shoot alot of rounds and when they get loose I guess just add a bigger rod and all fixed. Luckily I barely shoot my 1911

[@nobodytraining]

@glocksp80smd agreed. I’ll never shoot it enough to get it as bad as it was from the factory. But if I do I can give it a quick tune up since I have the tools now.

[@glocksp80smd]

@nobodytraining I have a remington r1 and luckily it's tight.

[@nobodytraining]

@glocksp80smd The only bad thing about that is that it robs you of the experience of having to tighten it 🤣

[@lightspeed2121]

Don’t squeeze your slide , oh lord!

[@enriqueoliva6988]

A new norinco 1911A1 comes oily in a sealed plastic bag.

[@SirJabsAlot]

Lame not to fire the norinco lol…

[@nobodytraining]

Lol. Nobody does lame better than…well…Nobody!

[@SirJabsAlot]

Lol

[@jamesmaySaysTheKingIsComing]

Are u sure the Chinese don't copy our stuff and sell it back to us? (Tongue in cheek)

[@nobodytraining]

🤣